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Republican Party committees and party-linked super political action committees have
opened up a big lead over Democrats in campaign fundraising this year, cashing in
on control of the White House and Congress.

The three national committees of the Republican Party raised a combined total of about
$163.4 million in the first half of 2017, about 30 percent more than the $126.8 million
raised by their Democratic counterparts, according to the most recent disclosure reports
filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Super political action committees linked to Republican leaders in Congress have a
much bigger edge, percentage-wise. The main House and Senate Republican super PACs
had combined receipts of $21.4 million for the first half of the year. That was nearly
three times the $7.8 million total of the Democrats’ main House and Senate super PACs.

GOP Has More Big Donors

Super PACs can receive unlimited contributions from wealthy individuals, corporations
and unions, while national party committees can receive individual contributions up
to $101,700 for special accounts to fund party conventions, party headquarters and
legal costs. The Republicans’ fundraising advantage is tied to the GOP’s ability to
raise large amounts from wealthy supporters and corporations, though the GOP also
has had increased success recently in small-dollar fundraising with the help of President
Donald Trump.

Democrats also have relied on wealthy individual supporters, as well as unions, for
big contributions but have raised far fewer high-dollar donations than Republicans
for their main party committees and super PACs. Democrats have seen more success in
small-dollar fundraising, with the Democratic PAC ActBlue—an independent group, different
from the party committees or super PACs—raising over $190 million in smaller contributions
so far this year to help fund Democratic candidates.

FEC reports showed the Republican advantage in party fundraising is due almost entirely
to the Republican National Committee, which with help from a joint fundraising committee
linked to Trump raised $75.4 million in the first half of the year. That was about
twice the $38.2 million total received by the Democratic National Committee.

Congressional Committees Even

The Democratic and Republican congressional campaign committees, meanwhile, are running
about even in fundraising. The Democrats’ House committee, the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee, raised $59.9 million in the first half of the year—just shy of
the $60 million raised by the National Republican Congressional Committee. The Democratic
Senatorial Campaign Committee raised $28.7 million, slightly more than the $27.9 million
for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

The Republicans’ main House and Senate super PACs have large fundraising leads over
their Democratic counterparts. The Congressional Leadership Fund, aligned with House
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and other Republican leaders, had receipts of $13.1 million
in the first half of the year. That is more than four times the $3.2 million in receipts
reported by the House Majority PAC, which is linked to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
(D-Calif.) and other House Democratic leaders.

The Senate Leadership Fund, linked to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and
other GOP leaders, has collected $8.3 million in the first half of 2017—nearly twice
the $4.6 million in receipts by its Democratic counterpart, the Senate Majority PAC.

Some Corporations Giving to Super PACs

Big contributions to the Senate Leadership Fund came from wealthy Republican donors
but also from companies. Energy giant Chevron Corp. gave $700,000 to the Senate GOP
super PAC in March, FEC reports show. A $500,000 contribution came from Florida utility
NextEra Energy, while contributions of $100,000 each came from the private prison
company Geo Corrections Holdings Inc. and insurer C.V. Starr & Co. Inc.

Chevron also gave $250,000 in March to the Congressional Leadership Fund, bringing
the company’s total contributions to the GOP super PACs this year to nearly $1 million.
Chevron remains one of the few well-known, publicly traded corporations that frequently
makes disclosed contributions to super PACs.

Most other big companies shy away from open political giving, but some contribute
to politically active trade associations and nonprofits. These organizations can spend
money to influence elections without revealing their donors. The Congressional Leadership
Fund has received nearly half its funding this year—more than $6 million—from the
American Action Network, a nonprofit organization that doesn’t disclose its donors
but is known to have received corporate money.

The Democratic super PACs have relied on wealthy Democratic donors for most of their
funding this year. Democratic super PACs also have been funded by big contributions
from unions, including the Laborers’ International Union, National Association of
Letter Carriers and United Auto Workers.

In addition, Democratic super PACs have received some corporate money, though not
as much as Republican groups. For example, the latest FEC report from the Democrats’
Senate Majority PAC disclosed contributions received this year of $25,000 each from
health insurance company Anthem Inc., drug company Merck & Co., and the drug industry
trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

To contact the reporter on this story: Kenneth P. Doyle in Washington at
kdoyle@bna.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Hendrie at
phendrie@bna.com

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